Posts with tag 'Buying a home'

Are you ready to buy a home? Not just financially, but prepared to make major decisions quickly? To go through periods of waiting and uncertainty? As with many things in life, you won't really know how much is involved in something until you've been through it. And unless you go through it often, it's easy to be thrown for a loop when unexpected circumstances arise.

Most first-time buyers recognize that they are not familiar with all the ins and outs of a home purchase, and welcome any guidance. I've helped many clients by providing a written overview of the process, along with discussions of strategy, what-if scenarios, and answering plenty of questions which crop up along the way.

Many home buyers already have some experience with the process, having gone through it when purchasing their current home, but may not realize how much has changed in the intervening years. A refresher is often helpful, and there still may be many questions.

Yet other buyers have...

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Selling your home is always a major undertaking. When you need the funds from the sale in order to purchase your next home, though, the pressure certainly goes up a notch. Or two. If the thought of facing this scenario gives you the jitters, you're not alone. Most people consider moving one of the most stressful events in life, and with so many interdependent factors at play during a simultaneous sale and purchase, it's not hard to imagine what could go wrong. That's why having professional guidance is so important. I've experienced this situation with a number of clients over the years, and here's what I've learned:

FEAR HOLDS PEOPLE BACK

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When it's time to sell their house, homeowners seem to fall into one of two categories: those who think they have to put in months of extra work to get every last detail perfect, and those who think their home is good enough as-is with zero effort on their part.

Actually, the best course of action usually falls somewhere in the middle. Depending on the condition of the home and how much the seller wants to profit, the to-do list could be less painful than you might think.

Before I list a home for sale, I always advise the sellers on what it will take to get the best results. for those with the will and time to make improvements, I recommend the least expensive yet most effective ways they can improve their home's chances of chances of a quick sale at maximum price.

Here are five relatively minor improvements which make...

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Selling your home is always a major undertaking. When you need the funds from the sale in order to purchase your next home, though, the pressure certainly goes up a notch. Or two.

If the thought of facing this scenario gives you the jitters, you're not alone. Most people consider moving one of the most stressful events in life, and with so many interdependent factors at play during a simultaneous sale and purchase, it's not hard to imagine what could go wrong. That's why having professional guidanc...

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Trees. I believe most people take them for granted, and not many seem to bother learning about the different types surrounding them every day. I've been interested in them ever since I bought my first home in the country near Watervliet about 20 years ago, when I suddenly owned hundreds of them. I frequently photograph them. And although it might not seem obvious, as a Realtor, trees are very important to me.

Trees often play a role in real estate transactions. Orchards sprawl all across Southwest Michigan and factor into the value of farmland, with their age, variety, and yield of fruit being important considerations. I've had purchase agreements include tree removal as part of the terms, sellers insist on taking trees with them, and two times I've had buyers request roots be cleared from the drai...

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